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Message: [QUOTE="MCC, post: 1706680, member: 145"] There is no evidence that 'high tops' either prevent sprains or minimize severity of sprains - this has actually been studied fairly extensively and the literature / data are inconclusive. If anything, the data to point to a combination of 'low tops' plus taping as marginally more effective at prevention and minimizing severity. A few prospective, randomized (albeit small N) trials have been run and reported in the literature, and I can pull down the references and screen-cap some data if you like. It appears that for some reason, high shoe collars have proprioceptive effects that decrease pre-landing activation of the peroneus longus (PL), peroneus brevis (PB) and tibialis anterior (TA). These decreases seem to leave the ankle complex [I]less[/I] prepared to deal with landing events, particularly those on uneven surfaces. Obviously this is counterintuitive: you'd expect the higher collar to reduce ROM, especially in the lateral aspect. However, the decrease in pre-activation - mean amplitude, which can be measured accurately and reproducibly by EMG - more than washes out any potential gains in structural stability. Worse still, the onset time for pre-activation for the PL, PB and TA are also observably delayed. Thus you're left with a 'too little, too late' muscle-tendon response from the evertors (complex that turns your foot 'out', and would thus resist a lateral sprain). The role of pre-landing EMG (EMGpre) activity is obviously critical to preparing the ankle complex for a rapid and potentially high-force stretch upon foot contact and through the subsequent joint rotations, and the current literature suggest that a low(-er) collar combined with taping preserves more EMGpre (both amplitude and rapidity of response) than high collars. I'm sure the SOC experts know all this; thus the fairly common use of low(-er) tops in hoops (and elsewhere). Hope this helps clarify, and I can always pull down some references / data for interested parties. [/QUOTE]

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